Grace
by sassylilthang
Summary: Phyllis moves to the GC for the summer to let the lime light. What happens when she runs into the one person she never wanted to see again. Can she help him get his life back to what it once was.
1. Chapter 1

May 5th,2005

Phyllis trotted down the steps upon hearing the door bell, wondering exactly who would be at her door. There were only a hand full of people who were aware of her current location and none of them had informed her of a delivery or stop by. As she looked out the peephole she discovered a male standing on the other side of the appearing to be holding something. She weighted her options of returning to her previous activities or recognizing the stranger. Once she finally made up her mind and decided to take her chances she was informed that the mystery man was her neighbor.

When she opened the door she was greeted by perhaps one of the most gorgeous men she'd meet in her life. He stood around five foot eleven, short buzzed-cut chocolate brown hair, expressive green eyes, and a killer smile paired with dimples that would bring any woman to her knees. His body appeared to lean and tone, his shirt showing his definite muscles. His skin had a natural tan and when he finally spoke Phyllis felt her insides heat. His voice was masculine and deep but still laced with hints of honey and charm.

"It's nice to meet you Nick, I'm Phoebe" She greeted, stepping aside and letting the strange man into her house, hoping he wouldn't recognize her. "Likewise Phoebe" He replied with a soft smile."Are your parents home?" He asked before sitting the basket down. Phyllis looked at him strangely, curious of why he was interested in her parents. "No they are, why'd you ask?" "Well, I saw who I presume to be your mother bossing around the movers the other week so I wanted to introduce myself." He explained, looking around and taking in the scenery. "Unfortunately my mother headed back to Chicago but when she plans to visit, I'll let you know." He nodded only to ask about her father. "You sure are nosy, but if you must know he's at his home in Boston with my step mom."

Nicholas looked at her astonished by the fact that parents would let their young daughter live by herself. She could be no more than eighteen if than, and sure when she'd first answered the door a string of inappropriate thoughts raced through his mind but he was only human. She looked like a model. Her creamy porcelain like legs seemed to go on for miles, her eyes appealed to him with specks of green hidden within the ocean of blue, her red hair add a sass to her over all natural look, and he hadn't even gotten to her curves. Her breasts were round and full and her plump ass screamed to be squeezed, grabbed, spanked but he shoved those thoughts to the far back of his mind.

"You seem quite surprised by my revelation." Phyllis spoke, his thoughts written all over his face. "I 'm just surprised that parents would let their young daughter live in a new town all alone." He responded causing Phyllis to chuckle to herself. "It's rather nice of you to be worried about my safety but I'm fine. I'll be graduating from Northwestern if a few weeks and this is where I'll be spending my summer to wind down after I return from Italy. Also if you must know, I'm twenty-two, almost twenty-three and now you don't have to feel too be about inept thoughts you had of me earlier." She responded, wanting to make sure they were on the same page.

Nick sat the flabbergasted, not only by her age but how she'd just called him out, she defiantly had balls. "I'm sorry if I've offend you" He started trying to straighten his thoughts "You just look so young." "No problem happens all the time. So now that's out of the way, what's in the basket? I smell chocolate." Nick quietly laughed, amazed by her ability to lighten the conversation completely, before the reveling the contents of the basket.

The pair chatted for quite a while, discussing her studies and his job. They bounced back and forth from topic to topic for a few hours. Before Nicholas left, he offered Phyllis a tour of the town proceeding her graduation which she kindly accepted. The two swapped numbers before Nicholas headed toward the house across the street. Once alone Phyllis prayed that he wouldn't remember her, wanting to leave her painful, haunted past behind.


	2. Thank You for Being a Friend

Ch 2. Thank You For Being A Friend

_Thank you for being a friend_

_Traveled down the road and back again_

_Your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant_.

June 19th,2005

Growing up Phoebe Amalia Kelley Catania had always been a bright child. By the time she was four years old she spoke several different languages. At age six she began home schooling via private instructor and by mere age of twelve she received a high school diploma. At age thirteen, she became a student at Harvard University. By age sixteen the young redhead had graduated from Harvard and decided to apply to MIT to acquire a degree in computers. At age nineteen she enrolled at Northwestern for a double Masters in English & Business and just before her twenty-third birthday Phoebe Catania, now Phyllis Summers had received her Masters.

Along her journey she'd lost and gain in life. She lost her childhood in some sense but she gained a greater gift by pushed to her limits and still striving. Along that journey she met her best friend, Michael Baldwin. When Phyllis was just fourteen years old she meet Michael one day, literally bumping into him at a local cafe not far from campus. Michael had been in his last year in law school and felt the need to watch over the young girl. Over the years the two remained thick as thieves, going through an innumerous amount of life experiences together. He was a major factor in her reasoning for escaping to Genoa City.

As she walked into the coffee shop that had been recently bought by Michael's younger brother, Phyllis scanned for her best friend, spotting him on the patio. Phyllis made her way outside inconspicuously, trying to avoid the public eye. She tapped Michael on his shoulder, gauging his attention before giving him a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. Once seated she noticed he'd already order her favorite coffee and brownie.

"How was Italy?" He inquired, wanting all the details of her birthday. "It was Italia, what more can I say. I love it there, but you already know that. The best part had to be Em and Chrisie coming." She rambled on. "You talk as if you're surprised; you know he wouldn't miss spending your birthday with you." "He did last year." She responded sipping her latte. "That's because you decided to go the Ireland. But besides muscle man "surprising" you, how'd the trip go." Phyllis went into vast detail, mentioning everything she possibly could, giving a more in depth story than the one that had been in her emails. Once she was done, they began discussing Michael's impending wedding to Lauren, which then lead to the topic of Phyllis' whereabouts the previous night.

"I was enjoying my evening with an acquaintance." Phyllis said matter-of-factly. "An acquaintance, since when do have an acquaintance in GC?" "Since I decided I should have one." She responded; take a gulp of the latte. "Well does this person have a name, do I know said person?" "There's a slightly possibility that you know this person, but I'm not at liberty to disclose of names." She said, knowing her little game would tick Michael off. "I have best friend rights, so that trumps everything else." She raised her eyebrow and just stared at him. After about five good minutes Phyllis finally gave a tad bit of information. "It was Nicholas." Michael raked him mind of everyone he knew with the name Nicholas, and only was came to mind when he thought of his best friend. "You didn't, Phoebe Amalia, please tell me the Nicholas I'm thinking of is the same Nicholas you're suggesting!" He whisper shouted, not wanting to draw unwanted attention.

"First and forth most, don't you dare call me that Michael Timothy? Secondly, who I choose to spend my time with is up to me. I'm a big girl Michael, I make my own choices and I deal with the repercussions."She spat , quite enraged. "Calm down. I know you can take care of yourself but..." He started, putting his hand up before she had the chance to interrupt. "But I know you and this is a disaster waiting to happen. I don't want to see you hurt again, and that's what will happen if you get close to Nicholas Newman. Does he even know who you are?" "No and I have no plans on him finding out." She responded giving him a meaningful look. "And thank you for caring Mikey, but I'll be fine. I always am. I'm good at protecting myself." She reasoned, giving her best friend a soft smile. " we get out of here Miss Supermodel?" He asked, holding out his arm. "We shall." She smiled grabbing onto his arm and heading out the door.


	3. Difficult Memories

Ch 3. Difficult Memories

_Our lives improve only when we take chances.._

_and the first and most difficult risk we can take.._

_is to be honest with ourselves._

_~Walter Anderson_

**July 2nd, 2005**

June had been an eventful month for Phyllis. Her time with Nicholas wasn't what she had expected. Aside from his cocky attitude he was a down to earth person. While the tiny voice in the back of her head all but yelled stay away, there was something about him that was captivating. All throughout the month she'd gotten a chance to help Lauren with the wedding while having quality time with Michael. The month was light and carefree until she'd met Victoria's for year old son Reese.

Phyllis had met Victoria and her husband Ryan while they'd been living in Milan a few years ago. They quickly hit it off and began good friends. Phyllis became there tour guide and was their live saver, when it came to finding exactly what they needed. The couple had moved back to the states a month to prior to discovering Victoria's pregnancy. But when Phyllis had finally met the brown eyed, curly dirty blond haired boy, her heart broke. He reminded her of his cousin Noah, and her own loss.

**March 10th, 2000**

Over the past few years Phoebe had learned to truly love Fridays. It seemed for that she never had a Friday class at MIT which was quite unheard of. Her Nonna told her it was the grace of God, that he knew she needed time to with Brian and that was his way of giving it to her. For two years now Phoebe would catch the six am flight from Logan to JFK, where Brian would pick her up; they'd have breakfast and then she'd go to their condo while he headed off to work.

Today had started off no different. The couple went to their favorite deli, ate corned beef at eight something in the morning, afterward, hailing a taxi. Usually Phoebe would head down to her family's pub in Brooklyn but instead she'd received a call from her Victor Newman, asking if she was in the city. Apparently he and Nikki had brought their grandson ,Noah, to NYC for his fourth birthday and thought that she would like to join them. Phoebe being Phoebe, who loved spending time with Victor, the man that was like a second father, agreed.

Phoebe decided to just forgo a trip to the condo and met the Newmans at the Twin Towers, where Brian worked. After hugs and hellos were out of the way Phoebe was introduced to Noah, who she immediately fell in love with. He looked like an angel with his dirty blond hair and baby blue eyes. He was surely a Newman with his dimpled smile and charm. Noah had warmed her heart with his jokes and talk about starting school in the fall now that he was a big boy. When the day was over she hated to say good-bye to the little boy but promised to stay in touch and see how school was going.

Once home Phoebe was greeted with a sight that she rarely saw, Brian cooking. Leaning against the threshold of the kitchen and hallway Phoebe smiled as Brian bobbed to the music, dropping the pasta noodles the bubble water. Sights like those, coming home to Brian cooking melted her, made her realize how far the two had come. They'd meet at Harvard during her second year in the library. He was the cocky jock who thought the world revolved around them. The pair only had a few encounters before his graduation but seemed to hit it off when she'd graduated the previous year, days before her sixteenth birthday.

The two fell fast. He wasn't the same cocky, pompous ass she'd know but an actual man. He'd transformed over the years and she seemed only to enhance it. When he proposed in January, she quickly accepting, knowing they wouldn't be getting married anytime soon, since she was only seventeen and because she hadn't finished school yet. The only disagreement they ever really had was children. While Brian wanted a semi-large family with four or five kids, Phoebe didn't want children at all, but that had all changed today.

Brian turned to head out of the kitchen, noticing Phoebe prompting his to kiss her. "Hey beautiful, I didn't hear you come in." Phoebe leaned against the wall smiling "I know, that's why I was able to watch you for so long."She replied following him into the living room sitting on the loveseat. "How was your day?" She asked as he rested his head on her lap. "Easygoing, most Fridays are though. Did you enjoy your day with the Newmans?" He asked, looking up at her. "Yes I did. I felt like a little kid being around Noah and doing everything that tourist do." She replied, lightly laughing. "Well I'm glad." Brian smiled as she toyed with his chestnut waves. " I love the new hair cut by the way." 'Thank you, though I figured you would since I keep it curly." "You know I have a thing for blue-eyed, curly redheaded, Italians." He answered jokingly. "So I've been told." She responded learning down to kiss him before they fell into a silence.

"Bri?" "Huh..."He responded. "I want kids." Phoebe said softly waiting for a response but one never came. "I know I said I didn't at first but that's because I was..." She trailed off, composing herself. "...I am afraid of repeating history. My mother had me when she was eighteen and we know how that turned out. But today, today something changed. Spending time with Noah, and hearing him go on and on about Nick and Ren, and telling me about his life, it made me realize I want that. I want a little boy or girl that'll be that way about us. For us to be that person's entire world and them to be ours. I'm finally able to grasp the amount of joy that having a little one of our own will impact on us. When I gave myself the chance to be honest, to think of everything you said, and not psycho-analyze it, I realized I want this. I want the blue eyed, curly haired, tall babies. Irish,Italian,Greek babies who'll hate us one day for bring them into our crazy family."

Brian looked up to see her tucking her hair behind her left ear. "Are you sure this is what you want. You're not just saying this to appease me?"She nodded slowly as he sat up to kiss her, running his fingers through her soft curls. "I'm sure, it'll be worth the risk, "she smiled "But only on one condition." Phoebe spoke, causing Brian's left eyebrow to rise, knowing it was never that easy with her. " I have to be eighteen. I'm not saying married, just eighteen. Because a separate set of issue would arise if I was pregnant before June 14. " "I can deal with that. We have a lifetime ahead of us to have all the blue eyed, curly haired babies our hearts desire." He responded before kissing her again, relishing in the feel of her finger in his hair before she prematurely pulled away. "Go check on the pasta. I want a condo to come back to." Phoebe half joked causing her fiancé to jump up and jog to their kitchen.

**July 2nd, 2005**

Phyllis laid in her bed clutching the blue teddy, trying to fight back the tears that burned her eyes, wishing Brian had been right about having a lifetime together.


	4. Understanding is Easy

Grace Ch. 4 Understanding is Easy

_"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Galileo Galilei_

**July 9th,2005**

Nicholas couldn't get over how dense and clueless he'd been the past few months. How he was just putting the pieces together and figuring out who Phyllis is was mind-boggling. It seemed out of nowhere that he realized that his new friend Phoebe was model Phyllis Summers. All the clues where right there but yet he never put two and two together. He understood why she kept it a secret; she savored privacy and when they'd first meet his was nearly a stranger but now he wasn't sure why she was still keeping her true identity a secret.

"Do I have something on my face?" Nick heard Phyllis ask pulling him out of his head. "No, why would you ask?" "You were staring as though I'd missed some of the sauce on my face so I was just making sure. I don't want you to have anything to hang over my head." She teased sitting down in the stool next to him. "Oh of course, because I'm the type of person who would hang messy pizza making over your head." Nick sarcastically replied. "You never know, you Newmans are pretty sneaky people." Phyllis smiled "I'm hurt. Truly, deeply." Nick feigned as he held his hand over his chest. "You'll survive." Phyllis patted him on his back before the pair broke into a fit of laughter.

"You're something else Bellissimo, ya know that." Phyllis teased. "Me? No, no , no. It's you," he replied, poking her in the arm. "Whatever you say," she rolled her eyes, spinning in her stool so she was facing him. "Phoebe, you never did tell me how your Fourth of July went." "You really wanna know?" She questioned with an eyebrow raised. " Of course. It's only fair, since I shared the details of a Newman family holiday." " Well if you insist, it wasn't too bad. Like always, it was at the family pub in Bay Ridge..." "Now is this your father's family?" Nicholas cut her off. "No, it's my mother's. Most of my father's family is in Boston." She declared, her Boston accent coming to light. "My mother grew up in Bay Ridge, actually." "Is your mother from Irish, Italian, Greek or Scandinavian descendant?" Nick question, curious about her family history.

"If you'd stop interrupting and give me a chance to finish you'd know my mother is half Greek and half Irish." She exclaimed causing Nick to apologize and tell her to proceed."My grandmother is Irish and my grandfather is Greek, but that's beside the point. There were tons of aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, and what not. My dad's family was as well." "Really?" Nick asked, surprised by that tidbit of information. "Yup. My parents were close friends before they got married and that friendship has lasted over the years. I actually found it strange because my parents are the only divorced couple I know that get along so well. My dad and stepfather go golfing together." "So you're like those people you see on TV,"he teased expecting a smart comment back. "You can say that. It did make handling the divorce easier, you know. There were no custody battles. I spent as much time with my maternal relatives that I did was my paternal. In a way it made being a prodigy easier to handle." She explained, only receiving a head nod in return.

"If I ask you something, can you promise not to get upset?" Nick asked, venturing toward a completely new topic. "I can try." Phyllis answered uneasily "but I make no promises." "Fair enough." Nick responded casually. "So the other day when I ran into you before dinner and you met Sharon..." He trailed off, not know what to say next. "Yeah what about it?" "Well when she said you looked familiar, it got me thinking also."He shared. "Really?" replied Phyllis as she nervously bit the nail of her pinky finger. "So I Googled Phyllis Summers and learned some pretty intriguing information." "Do tell?" Phyllis went along, slightly relived her secret wasn't coming to light. "Well for starters, the two of you share the same a birthday and are the same age. You both have parents named Lydia and George, who have been divorced for quite some time. Not to mention that the two of you also were born in Milan."He stopped, looking for a response.

"Okay Nicholas you don't have to keep listing everything. You've caught me, I'm Phyllis Summers." She replied, not needing to have her whole bio reported. "You could have told me. I wouldn't have betrayed you trust."Nick spoke seriously. "I know that now, but Nicholas" She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts "When I first met you I didn't know that." "But you didn't have to lie." He retorted. "I never lied Nicholas. Legally my named is Phoebe Catania, its my birth name. Aside from school purposes I use the alias Phyllis Summers. Its made the whole modeling thing easier, especially in Italia. Please understand I had every intention of telling you." Phyllis confessed sincerely, hoping she hadn't ruined any chance of having a real friendship. "I understand You've become an icon here in the states and from what I've heard, you've had a ton of success overseas." " That I have. Is that your way of telling me you aren't upset?" She asked a little surprised. "That it is. You were honest when I asked, and truly I do understand. It's quite comprehensible. You didn't set out to deceive me. You were simply protecting yourself from a potentially crazed fan. Plus how can I possibly be mad at that face."He answered, kissing her left cheek quickly, followed by his killer smile. "You can't." Phyllis giggled.

"And hey, now I can say I'm friends with a supermodel." "An Italian one at that." She added "Yes,a beautiful Italian supermodel friend. I have one question though."He proposed returning to the serious expression he'd just worn. "What?" "Can I have an autographed picture?" He asked, causing them both to laugh. "Anything for you Bellissimo, anything for you!"


End file.
